Dodgers Dugout: Random thoughts about the season so far

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell, and the Dodgers are on pace to finish 130-32. I don’t have the book in front of me, but I believe that would be a record.

So the first 10 games are in the books, and the Dodgers are 8-2. They could easily be 10-0, but, that’s baseball. Here are some random thoughts on the season’s first 10 games.

—The home opener was great, but that ring ceremony dragged a bit. Some of the intros by past greats were very good, but for some, it seemed they were reading off a cue card and really had no idea what was going on.

—The raising of the banner was nice, but they couldn’t find one former Dodger to help? Someone from the 1988 team? Mickey Hatcher? Mike Marshall? I mean, Orel Hershiser and Fernando Valenzuela are right there at the stadium, you couldn’t ask them? Having Magic and Billie Jean King was fine, but the other people were questionable. Eric Garcetti? Really? And did you see the way he almost broke both legs jumping to the front so he could help Magic raise the banner and be in all the pictures?

—There were no former Dodgers anywhere. I’m not saying there should have been a ton of them, but get a representative from each of the World Series champions to represent tradition. If there’s one thing the Dodgers are bad at, it’s honoring their rich history, especially during times like this.

—Seeing Clayton Kershaw and Justin Turner get their rings was a great moment.

—Speaking of rings, you can buy a copy of the ring the Dodgers wore for anywhere from $600-$6,000. “Honey, forget sending the kids to college, I need this ring.”

—Reports of Kershaw’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. His last two starts: 13 IP, 9 hits, 1 ER, no walks, 14 strikeouts.

—So far, it looks like Zach McKinstry will be a fine replacement for Kiké Hernández.

—The Kenley Jansen who pitched Sunday looked like the Kenley Jansen of five years ago. I, of course, will take full credit for motivating him.

—The Dodgers have done a lot of this without Cody Bellinger and Mookie Betts, making this start even more impressive.

—Of course the Padres are 7-3, meaning the Dodgers have only a one-game lead. It’s going to be like that all season, so there will be no time to rest.

—McKinstry leads the team with 10 RBIs, Justin Turner leads in average at .378, and doubles with five. And Turner, McKinstry and Will Smith each have two homers.

—And look at these starter’s ERAs:

Dustin May, 0.00
Walker Buehler, 1.50
Julio Urías, 2.84
Kershaw, 2.89
Trevor Bauer, 4.15

—Remember how everyone was worried about Max Muncy, who followed up a poor 2020 with a bad spring, hitting-wise? He’s hitting .375/.524/.563 with a double, triple and a homer and is the only Dodger to start every game so far. There’s a stat called Runs Created per 27 outs, which basically answers the question, “If you could clone Max Muncy and bat him in every lineup spot during a game, how many runs would you be expected to score?” For Muncy, the answer is 13.2 runs, which leads the Dodgers.

—The only guys on the team not hitting well so far are Edwin Rios (3 for 17) and Matt Beaty (0 for 6).

—If the Dodgers keep playing like this all season, it’s going to be tough to find anything to criticize them for.

Team rankings

A look at where the Dodgers ranks as a team in the NL, through Sunday:

Hitting

Runs per game: 2nd (5.70 per game, Cincinnati leads at 7.33)

Doubles: 1st (25)

Triples: 2nd (4, Colorado leads with 5)

Home runs: 10th (10, Cincinnati leads with 16)

Walks: 1st (50)

Strikeouts: 7th most (85, Arizona and Milwaukee lead with 96)

Average: 2nd (.284, Cincinnati leads at .289)

OB%: 1st (.380)

SLG%: 2nd (.467, Cincinnati leads at .518)

OPS+: 1st (135)

Pitching

ERA: 4th (3.22, San Diego leads at 1.78)

Starters’ ERA: 4th (2.60, Miami leads at 2.01)

Relief ERA: 8th (4.67, San Diego leads at 0.84)

Shutouts: 2nd (2, San Diego leads with 3)

Saves: 3rd (4, San Diego leads with 6)

Blown saves: Tied for 2nd (2, Arizona, Miami and San Francisco lead with 3)

Inherited runners who scored %: 3rd (10%, Atlanta and San Diego lead at 0%)

Home runs: 7th most (10, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh lead with 15)

Walks: 3rd fewest (23, New York leads with 13)

Strikeouts: 6th (87, San Diego leads with 108)

ERA+: 3rd (125, San Diego leads at 211)

Injury updates

The Dodgers put Cody Bellinger on the 10-day IL Friday with a calf contusion (a fancy way of saying bruised calf). “In talking to Cody, the training staff, he just wasn’t ready to play through the weekend,” Dave Roberts said. “There’s an off day Monday. We can backdate. So to put him in the best position to get back, stay healthy, it was sort of a no-brainer.” The called Luke Raley up from the minors to replace him. Raley was acquired from the Minnesota Twins along with Brusdar Graterol and a draft pick for Kenta Maeda.

Mookie Betts has missed four consecutive games because of a stiff back and is still considered day-to-day (as Vin Scully once said, “Aren’t we all?”). “The training staff is encouraging him to keep active, keep swinging the bat,” Roberts said. “I expect him to run, play catch and with the off-day, get some treatment then and see where we’re at on Tuesday. Right now, I just don’t have any answers.”

Tony Gonsolin, on the 10-day IL with right shoulder inflammation, is at least another week, and probably more from returning.

Brusdar Graterol, on the IL for COVID-related issues, threw a 15-pitch simulated inning Saturday and needs to be able to pitch two simulated outings in three days before he can return.

Up next

Today, Colorado (Antonio Senzatela, 1-1, 5.56 ERA) at Dodgers (Trevor Bauer, 1-0, 4.15 ERA), 7 p.m., Sportsnet LA
Wednesday, Colorado (Jon Gray, 1-0, 1.54 ERA) at Dodgers (Dustin May, 1-0, 0.00 ERA), 7 p.m., Sportsnet LA
Thursday, Colorado (*Austin Gomber, 0-2, 2.89 ERA) at Dodgers (*Julio Urias, 2-0, 2,84 ERA), 1 p.m., Sportsnet LA

*-left-handed

And finally

Vin Scully and Fernando Valenzuela throw out the first pitch before Game 2 of the 2017 World Series. Watch it here.